The Grand Temptation (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 29

Jae Ho’s decision to stop by Geoje was, in truth, almost impulsive. The call had come shortly after he arrived at work—there was trouble with the village hall reconstruction project underway in Changwon. He immediately volunteered to go himself, even though Manager Kim was already heading down. Fortunately, it wasn’t as serious an issue as expected and didn’t take long to resolve.

He could have taken the KTX straight back to Seoul from there, but Jae Ho rented a car instead and drove aimlessly toward Geoje. He had no certainty he’d even see Yuli there, but figured that if nothing else worked out, he could at least see the sea before heading back.

Upon arriving in Geoje, he was fortunate to find the campaign rally site without much difficulty—it was impossible to miss. Posters announcing the event were plastered all over the small town.

As he moved closer to the stage for a better view, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Behind Assemblyman Chae, Yuli was forcing a smile like a soulless doll. Jae Ho unconsciously frowned.

Yuli’s expression looked utterly unfamiliar—something he’d never seen before. Her face seemed unnatural and, at the same time, sorrowful. Though her lips curved into a smile, her lifeless eyes blinked dryly.

Watching Yuli’s strange demeanor, Jae Ho finally began to understand why she’d agreed to marry Min Woo. Perhaps she was simply trading one lion’s den for another wolf’s cave.

An inexplicable surge of emotion welled up inside him. If he could, he wanted to grab her arm and pull her right out of that situation.

Once the endorsement speech ended, the assembly members descended from the stage and proceeded through the crowd, shaking hands individually with voters. Jae Ho quietly followed them from a distance, watching silently.

The confrontation with the opposing party erupted just as Yuli briefly stepped away. The aide and bodyguards hurriedly bundled the bleeding assemblyman into a van and rushed off the scene. When Yuli returned, she looked around bewildered—but no one had come back for her.

Watching Yuli frantically calling various people with a distraught expression, Jae Ho bit his lip. Her face grew increasingly gloomy—apparently, no one was answering her calls.

He wanted to go to her, but couldn’t bring himself to do it so easily. She probably didn’t want him to see her like this. Still, hoping someone—anyone—would return for her, he quietly kept watch.

Yet contrary to his hopes, no one came, even as dusk fell. She was left completely alone. Thick raindrops began to patter from the overcast sky, and Yuli stood rooted to the spot like a lost puppy.

Foolish girl.

Finally, Jae Ho ran toward her. He couldn’t leave her alone any longer.

“You’re insane, aren’t you?”

Read full content of this chapter on r e d c a t t y . c o m